


Drink Your Tea

by startrekkingaroundasgard



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Kidnapping, Protective Doctor (Doctor Who), Sick Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22914433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekkingaroundasgard/pseuds/startrekkingaroundasgard
Summary: The Master kidnaps the reader as part of a plot to get The Doctor’s attention. However, once on his TARDIS, he finds out the reader is sick and, in his own way, nurses her back to health.
Relationships: The Master (Dhawan)/Reader
Comments: 19
Kudos: 143





	Drink Your Tea

“Let go of me, you psychotic bastard!" 

The Master shoved you away, his fierce scowl turning into a harsh laugh. He waved his hand dismissively in the air, the anger dissipating almost immediately. His TARDIS came to life, a dim red light illuminating the space. He’d redecorated since you’d met him last, back when you fought the Kasavin. It no longer felt like a home; it was cold and clinical and harsh, like him. 

"Sit. Make yourself comfortable. You’ll be here for a while.”

Whatever game he was playing, trying to be polite and cordial after literally kidnapping you, wasn’t going to work. You crossed your arms over your chest defiantly, vaguely aware of the rising heat. A sweat broke upon your brow but you ignored it the best you could. “The Doctor will come for me.”

“If she even realises you are gone." 

That hurt and The Master knew it, his viciously triumphant smirk confirming as much. Insecurity was a constant in your life, especially now that you travelled with an alien who had seen more than you could ever imagine. How you could compare to the infinite intrigue of the universe, you didn’t know. You were just a human, clinging on to The Doctor for dear life as you ran together through the stars. 

She cared, of course she did, but sometimes you’d see it in her eyes; she wished you were stronger, more capable. Maybe it was just a reflection of your own fears, but they were hard to shake. Well, you’d show her how strong you could be. You’d find out what The Master was planning, stop him and escape. 

Refusing to let his taunts get to you, you said, "She’ll know you took me.”

“That is rather the point.” He flashed you a dazzling smile and it was like staring into the eyes of a tiger just about to pounce on its prey. You shrunk into yourself. 

“Whatever you’re planning, The Doctor will stop you." 

He merely scoffed in response.

Shuffling away from your captor, you pressed your back against the TARDIS wall and angled yourself towards The Master to keep a permanent eye on him. It quelled some of the nerves which left your stomach knotted but you knew you were practically powerless to stop him if he actually did try something. 

Where you barely blinked to keep The Master in sight, he, on the other hand, barely spared you a second glance. Too busy running around the console, inputting a new flight path and no doubt spying on The Doctor’s progress. 

Wiping the sweat from your brow, you were grateful for the wall behind you as a wave of dizziness left you disorientated. A lump in the back of your throat grew larger, a sickness rising from your stomach. Sinking to the ground, you unzipped your jacket, wondering when the air had gotten so thin. "What do you want from me?" 

"Some peace and quiet,” he hissed. “I did not bring you here for conversation. Be a good little human and stay out of my way.”

You sat there for a long time, simply trying your best not to throw up. The floor vibrated as the TARDIS flew through space and you spread your fingers across the metal grating, focusing on the movement and not your own sickness. Unfortunately it did little to help, especially when the ride became rough.

Jolting forward, you bashed your head into your knee. A sharp pain spread through your skull, adding to your overwhelming feeling of shittiness. All you’d done was leave The Doctor for five minutes to find some breakfast and now here you were, curled up in a pathetic heaving heap on the ground of her best enemy’s ship. So much for being strong and fighting your way out. 

The Master glanced towards you and frowned. He abandoned the viewing screen at the central console and crossed the space, crouching down in front of you. “What is wrong with you?" 

"I don’t know,” you groaned, head rolling backwards against the hard wall. The Master reached out to touch you but you recoiled, regretting the speed with which you moved. Practically hissing, you said, “Don’t touch me.”

He ignored your warning and cupped your cheeks with surprising tenderness. His hands were cool. It felt nice. He tilted your face from side to side, making you feel even more queasy. “What have you eaten today?”

“I don’t know.”

“Think!” he shouted. 

“A purple apple in the market,” you replied, shrinking away from him. A loud pounding filled your ears, a painful irregular beat that could quickly drive you crazy if it didn’t melt your brain first.

The Master grumbled in annoyance. “Stupid. Illerian fruits are poisonous to humans.”

“How was I supposed to know?" 

"If you’d thought with your head instead of your stomach!”

The pounding in your ears grew louder, all but blocking out every word he said. You could see his lips moving but there was almost no discernible sound and your mind was too addled to work out what he was saying. 

The Master laid you down on the ground, folding up your jacket and slipping it under your head to act as a pillow. This was better. The room stopped spinning as you focused on a flashing light beneath the TARDIS console. You followed The Master’s steps around the TARDIS, watching his perfectly shined shoes as he scuttled back and forth. Cool air blew up from vents beneath you and drawing breath became a little easier. This was much better. 

You lost track of The Master for a moment, an unwelcome sense of panic settling in your chest. You didn’t necessarily want to be trapped here with him but his attentions were infinitely better to being left to die alone. Thankfully, he promptly returned and crouched down beside you. 

He pushed your sleeve up your arm and pulled out a medical device of some kind. His fingers were gentle on your skin as he positioned the end into your inner elbow. Meeting your gaze, he said, “This is going to hurt.”

Your attempts to draw away were easily foiled. The Master held you in place as the device drew a sample of blood and injected an ice cold liquid back into your veins. It was as indescribably painful as he had warned. If you hadn’t already felt on the edge of death, you certainly did now. 

Every cell of your body was simultaneously on fire and turning to ice. Your muscles were tensed so tightly that you could barely move, couldn’t dream of escaping the pain. The room alternated from pitch black to blinding bright red for no reason other than to leave you disorientated and weak. 

Vaguely aware of hands on your arms, you found yourself on your back, staring up at the ceiling. The Master removed his coat and draped it over your body, the weight on your chest uncomfortable but outweighed by the sense of protection it provided. 

Voice hoarse, barely able to sound the words, you met asked, “What did you do to me?”

“I just saved your life. You’re welcome.” When you repeated your question, croaking each word, The Master rolled his eyes and let out an impatient sigh. He knelt down beside you once again and placed his fingers to your temple, exerting a light pressure on the burning skin. “Sleep.”

You tried to resist, desperate for answers and assurance that you truly weren’t about to die, but the world grew heavy and the last thing you saw before darkness took a hold was his dark eyes, regarding you with an emotion you couldn’t place. 

***

The Master woke you some time the next day. He wordlessly handed you a hot mug of tea then returned to the console, reading over a series of graphs which you recognised as vital signs. Your vital signs. The moment he realised you were watching, he turned the screens off and plastered a bored look on his face. 

“Drink your tea.”

You brought the steaming mug to your lips, the sweet floral smell filling your nostrils. On your tongue it tasted sharper than you expected but, under The Master’s intense gaze, you drank it all. Surprisingly, the effects were almost immediate. Your muscles relaxed, your head cleared and the acidic burn on the back of your throat lessened with each sip. 

Setting down the empty mug, you muttered a quiet thank you. The Master didn’t acknowledge your gratitude. 

The gentle wheezing of the TARDIS was the only sound between you. A coolness filled the space, the red lights grew brighter, and you wondered if the ship was trying to tell you something. The Master’s coat hanging from your shoulders, you slowly pushed yourself to your feet and crossed the room to join him at the console. 

“Don’t touch anything,” he said, narrowing his eyes as he caught you wearing his long purple coat. You shrugged it off your shoulders and handed it back but he simply shook his head. “Keep it.”

You slipped it on properly, struggling not to laugh at how badly it fit. Still, it was warm and filled you with a sense of safety. Surely The Master wouldn't try to kill you when you were wearing his favourite jacket. Getting blood out of this would be impossible. 

Circling the console, trailing your fingers over random buttons and switches, you stopped opposite The Master and asked, “Why did you save me?”

“Human bodies smell awful when they begin to decay.”

“Master,” you implored, the use of his name snapping his attention upwards. “You could have let me die. Why didn’t you?”

He mumbled a response, too quiet for you to hear. Under your own scrutinising gaze, The Master’s cold, calculating expression gave way to something softer, a little more desperate. He spread his hands on the console, shifted his weight between his feet before repeating through gritted teeth, “The Doctor would have hated me if I let you die.”

Surprised by his honesty, you didn’t really know how to respond. So, you pretended to look really interested in the blank screen to your left. Running your fingers over a small dial, you said, “Well. Thank you." 

A long few moments passed, an almost imperceptible nod the only recognition of your gratitude. The TARDIS, no doubt as uncomfortable by the silence as you, jerked to the side and sent you flying. The Master, far quicker to react than you, and caught your wrist to stop you from falling. Before you could process why, he spun you around and held you tightly against his chest. 

"What the hell are you - Doctor!" 

"Let her go, Master,” she ordered, striding across the room with fire in her eyes. She channelled the fury of a thousand races, every drop of that directed towards The Master. In one swift movement, she tore you from his grasp and then grabbed his throat and slammed him against the TARDIS wall. 

Against all reason, her blazing anger brought a twisted grin to his face. “Doctor.”

Not rising to the bait, The Doctor hissed, “If you have hurt a single hair on her head -”

You couldn’t bear to hear the end of that threat. The Doctor whipped her head around as you touched her arm, imploring her to step back. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”

For the first time since storming in all guns blazing, The Doctor properly looked at you, her eyes widening as she recognised you wearing The Master’s coat. She stumbled back a few steps, glancing between you and her best enemy with comically wide eyes. As The Master rubbed his throat, she held a finger in the air and stuttered, “I… Give me a sec. What - What is happening here?”

“He took me to get your attention. I had a bad reaction to some Illerian fruit and he saved my life. That’s the long and short, isn’t it?" 

The Master shrugged. Straightening his waistcoat as he passed The Doctor, he proceeded to circle you before pulling his coat from your shoulders. Instead of putting it on, he tossed it aside without a second glance and then proclaimed, "I’m bored now. If we’re done here?”

It was clear that The Doctor didn’t want to leave yet, that she still had many things to say to The Master, but reluctantly nodded nonetheless. She put herself between you and her enemy, as if he would be stupid enough to try anything else now that she was here, and held out her arm. 

You rested your hand over the teleport bracelet on her wrist, feeling it buzz beneath your fingers. Glancing up, you met The Master’s eyes and felt the words dry up on your lips. Instead, you settled on a brief nod, certain that this would not be the last time you crossed paths with him. 

“See you round,” he said, giving you a little wave as The Doctor’s teleport engulfed you.


End file.
